Drawer and refrigerator having the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a drawer and a refrigerator having the same, wherein the drawer includes a door panel, a storage container located behind the door panel, and two slide rail assemblies respectively arranged on both lateral sides of the storage container and connected to the door panel through two connecting members; the connecting member forms a front adjustment plate, the slide rail assembly forms a rear adjustment plate located behind the front adjustment plate, the rear adjustment plate forms a first threaded hole running through the front and back, the drawer also includes a first threaded fastener adapted to the first threaded hole, the first threaded fastener is inserted into the first threaded hole from the rear of the rear adjustment plate; when the door panel tilts forward, the first threaded fastener is operated to rotate, press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates backward around a first axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel; when the door panel tilts backward, the first threaded fastener is operated to rotate, press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates forward around a second axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field of household appliances, and in particular to a drawer and a refrigerator having the same. Background Art

[0002] Traditional refrigerator drawers generally fix the slide rail assembly to the drawer door body with screws, and then assemble the slide rail into the slide channel of the refrigerator liner. In this way, due to uncontrollable errors in the punching of the liner and the foaming of the box body, the drawer door may tilt forward or backward, affecting the user experience. Summary of the invention

[0003] In view of the above problems, an object of the present invention is to provide a drawer and a refrigerator having the same that overcomes the above problems or at least partially solves the above problems.

[0004] A further object of the present invention is to adjust the door panels of the drawer so that the assembly of the door panels is more accurate.

[0005] According to one aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a drawer, comprising:

[0006] Door panels;

[0007] A storage container, located behind the door panel, has an upward opening for taking and placing items;

[0008] Two slide rail assemblies, which are respectively arranged on the lateral sides of the storage container and are arranged on the door panel through two connecting pieces to drive the door panel and the storage container to move forward and backward synchronously;

[0009] The two connecting members are both arranged on the rear surface of the door panel, at least one connecting member is formed with a front adjustment plate, and the slide rail assembly corresponding to the connecting member is formed with a rear adjustment plate located behind the front adjustment plate;

[0010] The rear adjustment plate is formed with a first threaded hole running through the front and rear, and the drawer further includes a first threaded fastener adapted to the first threaded hole, and the first threaded fastener is inserted into the first threaded hole from the rear of the rear adjustment plate;

[0011] When the door panel tilts forward, the first threaded fastener is operated to rotate and press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates backward around the first axis extending transversely, thereby adjusting the door panel;

[0012] When the door panel tilts backward, the first threaded fastener is operated to rotate and press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates forward around the second axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel;

[0013] The first axis is located at a position higher than the second axis, and the first threaded fastener is located at a position higher than the second axis and lower than the first axis.

[0014] Optionally, the connecting member formed with the front adjustment plate is further formed with two second threaded holes distributed up and down, and the slide rail assembly corresponding to the connecting member is further formed with two third threaded holes distributed up and down;

[0015] The two second threaded holes correspond to the two third threaded holes one by one, and the second threaded holes and the corresponding third threaded holes are transversely connected, so that the connecting member is connected to the corresponding slide rail assembly by two second threaded fasteners passing through the corresponding second threaded holes and the corresponding third threaded holes;

[0016] Furthermore, the center line of the second threaded hole located at the top is the first axis, and the center line of the second threaded hole located at the bottom is the second axis.

[0017] Optionally, the connecting piece includes:

[0018] A first panel section connected to a rear surface of the door panel;

[0019] A second plate section protrudes backward from the lateral outer side of the first plate section;

[0020] The front adjustment plate and the two second threaded holes are formed on the second plate section.

[0021] Optionally, the two second threaded holes are staggered up and down;

[0022] The first threaded fastener and the second threaded fastener are both screws.

[0023] Optionally, the front adjustment plate and the rear adjustment plate both extend in the transverse direction.

[0024] Optionally, a notch is formed at the rear end of the second plate section, the notch being open at the rear side and both lateral sides;

[0025] The front adjustment plate protrudes laterally outward from the front end of the notch;

[0026] The rear adjustment plate corresponding to the front adjustment plate protrudes from the lateral inner side of the second plate section through the notch toward the lateral outer side.

[0027] Optionally, a limit block protruding backwards is formed on the lateral outer side of the lower end of the first plate segment, and the limit block is formed with a bayonet opening which is open on the upper side and both lateral sides;

[0028] The slide rail assembly corresponding to the first plate section is formed with a clamping block protruding toward the transverse inner side, and the clamping block passes through the clamping slot from the transverse outer side of the clamping slot and is clamped into the clamping slot.

[0029] Optionally, both connecting members are formed with a front adjustment plate and two second threaded holes distributed vertically;

[0030] The two slide rail assemblies are each formed with a rear adjustment plate and two third threaded holes distributed up and down.

[0031] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is also provided a refrigerator, comprising:

[0032] A box body, defining a first chamber therein;

[0033] The drawer of any of the above items can be slidably arranged in the first room to open and close the storage container of the drawer.

[0034] Optionally, a second chamber and a third chamber are further defined in the box body, and the second chamber and the third chamber are distributed in the transverse direction and are located above the first chamber.

[0035] The drawer of the present invention and the refrigerator having the same are designed with a connecting piece and a slide rail assembly with a special structure. The front adjustment plate on the connecting piece, the rear adjustment plate on the slide rail assembly and the first threaded fastener can be used to finely adjust the front and rear inclination of the door panel to ensure that the door panel is in a vertical position.

[0036] Furthermore, in the drawer of the present invention and the refrigerator having the same, two second threaded holes are formed on the connecting piece, and two second threaded fasteners adapted to the two second threaded holes are used to cooperate with the first threaded fastener to adjust the position of the door panel, thereby having strong operability and practicality.

[0037] Based on the following detailed description of specific embodiments of the present invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, those skilled in the art will become more aware of the above and other objects, advantages and features of the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0038] Hereinafter, some specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail in an exemplary and non-limiting manner with reference to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the accompanying drawings indicate the same or similar components or parts. It should be understood by those skilled in the art that these drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the accompanying drawings:

[0039] Figure 1 is a schematic diagram of a refrigerator according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0040] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram of a combination of a door panel and a slide rail assembly of a refrigerator drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0041] Figure 3 yes Figure 2 Enlarged view of area A in the middle;

[0042] Figure 4 is an exploded schematic diagram of a door panel and a slide rail assembly of a refrigerator drawer according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0043] Figure 5 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of middle area B;

[0044] Figure 6 yes Figure 4 Enlarged view of middle area C;

[0045] Figure 7 yes Figure 4 A magnified view of region D in the middle; and

[0046] Figure 8 yes Figure 4 Magnified view of area E in the middle. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0047] This embodiment provides a drawer and a refrigerator 100 having the same. Figures 1 to 8 In the following description, the directions or positional relationships indicated by "front", "rear", "up", "down", "lateral", etc. are directions or positional relationships based on the refrigerator 100 itself as a reference. Figure 2 The direction indicated, such as Figure 1 As shown, “horizontal” refers to the left-right direction, which is a direction parallel to the width direction of the refrigerator 100 .

[0048] The refrigerator 100 generally includes a box body, which includes an outer shell and a storage liner arranged inside the outer shell. The space between the outer shell and the storage liner is filled with insulation material (forming a foam layer). The storage liner generally defines a storage compartment with an open front side, and a door is provided at the open portion of the storage compartment to open and close the storage compartment.

[0049] In some embodiments, Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, a first chamber is defined in the box body, and a second chamber 141 and a third chamber 151 may also be defined in the box body. The second chamber 141 and the third chamber 151 may be distributed in the horizontal direction and located above the first chamber. In other words, the refrigerator 100 may have three storage chambers, namely the second chamber 141 and the third chamber 151 located on the left and right sides of the upper horizontal direction, and the first chamber located at the bottom. It can be seen from this that the width of the first chamber is the sum of the widths of the second chamber 141 and the third chamber 151. The refrigerator 100 with this layout has a larger first chamber, which is suitable for storing large and difficult to divide items, thereby improving the user experience.

[0050] The first room is provided with a drawer that can slide forward and backward. The drawer generally includes a door panel 110 and a storage container 130 located behind the door panel 110. The storage container 130 has an upward opening for storing and retrieving items.

[0051] In one of the aforementioned embodiments, since the size of the first chamber is relatively large, a storage container 130 of a larger size may be arranged in the first chamber accordingly, thereby facilitating the storage of some items that are not easily divisible in the storage container 130 .

[0052] The second chamber 141 has a second door 142 at its front side to open and close the second chamber 141 . The third chamber 151 has a third door 152 at its front side to open and close the third chamber 151 .

[0053] The first chamber can be a variable temperature chamber, the second chamber 141 can be a refrigerator, and the third chamber 151 can be a freezer. Thus, a refrigerator 100 with a left freezer, a right refrigerator, and a lower variable temperature chamber is formed. The width of the freezer and refrigerator is half of the variable temperature chamber. Compared with the traditional refrigerator 100, the refrigerator 100 with this layout provides a variable temperature chamber with a larger storage space, which solves the pain point that large and difficult to divide items cannot be stored. In addition, since the temperature of the variable temperature chamber can be adjusted within a certain range, it can be used as a freezer or a refrigerator. By increasing the space of the variable temperature chamber, it can meet the needs of a larger freezer space and a larger refrigerator space, greatly improving the user experience.

[0054] As is well known to those skilled in the art, the temperature in a refrigerator is generally between 2°C and 10°C, preferably between 4°C and 7°C. The temperature in a freezer is generally between -22°C and -14°C. The temperature range of the variable temperature chamber can be adjusted to -18°C to 8°C. Different types of items have different optimal storage temperatures and different suitable storage locations. For example, fruit and vegetable foods are suitable for storage in a refrigerator, while meat foods are suitable for storage in a freezer.

[0055] like Figures 2 to 8 As shown, the drawer of this embodiment further includes two slide rail assemblies 120 and two connectors 103. The two slide rail assemblies 120 are respectively arranged on the lateral sides of the storage container 130, and are arranged on the door panel 110 through the two connectors 103 to drive the door panel 110 and the storage container 130 to move forward and backward synchronously. Both connectors 103 are arranged on the rear surface of the door panel 110.

[0056] like Figure 3 , Figure 5 and Figure 6 As shown, at least one connecting member 103 is formed with a front adjustment plate 112, and the slide rail assembly 120 corresponding to the connecting member 103 is formed with a rear adjustment plate 121 located behind the front adjustment plate 112, and the rear adjustment plate 121 is formed with a first threaded hole 121a passing through the front and back, and the first threaded fastener 101 is inserted into the first threaded hole 121a from the rear of the rear adjustment plate 121.

[0057] When the door panel 110 tilts forward, the first threaded fastener 101 is operatively rotated to press the front adjustment plate 112 forward, so that the door panel 110 connected to the connecting member 103 rotates backward around the first axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel 110. When the door panel 110 tilts backward, the first threaded fastener 101 is operatively rotated to press the front adjustment plate 112 forward, so that the door panel rotates forward around the second axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel 110 and keeping the door panel 110 in a vertical state.

[0058] The first axis is located higher than the second axis, and the first threaded fastener 101 is located higher than the second axis and lower than the first axis, so that the door panel 110 can be adjusted from a forward or backward tilted state to a vertical state.

[0059] In some embodiments, Figure 4 As shown, each of the two connecting members 103 may be formed with a front adjustment plate 112 , and correspondingly, each of the two slide rail assemblies 120 may be formed with a rear adjustment plate 121 located behind the corresponding front adjustment plate 112 .

[0060] The two connecting members 103 may be symmetrically distributed laterally, the two slide rail assemblies 120 may be symmetrically distributed laterally, and accordingly, the two front adjustment plates 112 may be symmetrically distributed laterally, and the two rear adjustment plates 121 may be symmetrically distributed laterally.

[0061] like Figure 5 , Figure 6 As shown, the connecting member 103 formed with the front adjustment plate 112 is also formed with two second threaded holes 111a distributed up and down, and the slide rail assembly 120 corresponding to the connecting member 103 is also formed with two third threaded holes 120a distributed up and down, and the two second threaded holes 111a correspond to the two third threaded holes 120a one by one, and the second threaded holes 111a and the corresponding third threaded holes 120a are horizontally connected, so that the connecting member 103 is connected to the corresponding slide rail assembly 120 by two second threaded fasteners (not shown) passing through the corresponding second threaded holes 111a and the corresponding third threaded holes 120a. That is, the second threaded fastener located at the top passes through the second threaded hole 111a located at the top and the third threaded hole 120a located at the top in sequence; the second threaded fastener located at the bottom passes through the second threaded hole 111a located at the bottom and the third threaded hole 120a located at the bottom in sequence, thereby connecting the connecting member 103 to the slide rail assembly 120 through the two second threaded fasteners.

[0062] Furthermore, the center line of the second threaded hole 111a located at the top is the aforementioned first axis, and the center line of the second threaded hole 111a located at the bottom is the aforementioned second axis. It can be understood that the position of the first threaded fastener 101 is higher than the position of the second threaded fastener located at the bottom, and lower than the position of the second threaded fastener located at the top; and the two second threaded fasteners are respectively the rotation axes for the door panel 110 to rotate forward and backward.

[0063] The two second threaded holes 111a are staggered in the vertical direction. Figure 3 As shown, the second threaded hole 111a located at the upper side is located at the upper front side of the front adjustment plate 112, and the second threaded hole 111a located at the lower side is located at the lower front side of the front adjustment plate 112. Both the front adjustment plate 112 and the rear adjustment plate 121 can extend in the transverse direction, perpendicular to the extension direction of the first threaded fastener 101, so that the front adjustment plate 112 of the connecting member 103 can be subjected to the maximum force of the first threaded fastener 101, ensuring that the door panel 110 connected to the connecting member 103 can rotate smoothly and stably.

[0064] The first threaded fastener 101 and the second threaded fastener can be common and easily available screws. The two second threaded fasteners are clearance-matched with the corresponding second threaded holes 111a, so that the door panel 110 can rotate relative to the second threaded fasteners, and the two second threaded fasteners can be interference-fitted with the corresponding third threaded holes 120a.

[0065] When the door panel 110 tilts forward, the second threaded fastener located at the bottom is loosened by operation, and the first threaded fastener 101 is rotated by operation to press the front adjustment plate 112 forward. At this time, the door panel 110 rotates backward to a vertical position around the second threaded fastener located at the top, and the second threaded fastener located at the bottom is tightened again by operation, so that the door panel 110 remains in the vertical position. When the door panel 110 tilts backward, the second threaded fastener located at the top is loosened by operation, and the first threaded fastener 101 is rotated by operation to press the front adjustment plate 112 forward. At this time, the door panel 110 rotates forward to a vertical position around the second threaded fastener located at the bottom, and the second threaded fastener located at the top is tightened again by operation, so that the door panel 110 remains in the vertical position. In this way, the door panel 110 is finely adjusted and easy to operate.

[0066] In some embodiments, Figure 7As shown, the connecting member 103 may include a first plate segment 113 and a second plate segment 111, wherein the first plate segment 113 is connected to the rear surface of the door panel 110, and the second plate segment 111 protrudes rearward from the lateral outer side of the first plate segment 113. The front adjustment plate 112 and the two second threaded holes 111a are both formed on the second plate segment 111, and the front adjustment plate 112 extends to the lateral outer side of the second plate segment 111, and accordingly, the rear adjustment plate 121 should also extend to the lateral outer side of the slide rail assembly 120, thereby facilitating the operation of the first threaded fastener 101.

[0067] like Figure 7 As shown, the first plate segment 113 can be connected to the door panel 110 via at least one third threaded fastener 102. There can be multiple third threaded fasteners 102 to enhance the fixing strength between the connector 103 and the door panel 110. The first plate segment 113 and the second plate segment 111 can be integrally formed.

[0068] like Figure 5 , and combined with Figure 3 As shown, the rear end of the second plate section 111 is formed with a notch 111b which is open on both the rear side and the lateral sides, the front adjustment plate 112 protrudes outward from the front end of the notch 111b, and the rear adjustment plate 121 corresponding to the front adjustment plate 112 protrudes outward from the lateral inner side of the second plate section 111 through the notch 111b. Such a design simplifies the molding process of the front adjustment plate 112 and the rear adjustment plate 121, making the overall structure more compact, and facilitating the operation of the first threaded fastener 101, with high practicality and operability.

[0069] like Figure 7 As shown, a stopper 114 protruding backward is formed on the lateral outer side of the lower end of the first plate segment 113, and the stopper 114 is formed with a bayonet 114a opened on the upper side and both lateral sides, and a block 122 protruding inwardly in the lateral direction is formed on the slide rail assembly 120 corresponding to the first plate segment 113, and the block 122 passes through the bayonet 114a from the lateral outer side of the bayonet 114a and is clamped into the bayonet 114a. In this way, the assembly of the slide rail assembly 120 and the connector 103 is more stable.

[0070] At this point, those skilled in the art should recognize that, although multiple exemplary embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described in detail herein, many other variations or modifications that conform to the principles of the present invention can still be directly determined or derived based on the content disclosed in the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Therefore, the scope of the present invention should be understood and recognized as covering all these other variations or modifications.

Claims

1. A drawer, comprising: Door panels; A storage container, located behind the door panel, has an upward opening for taking and placing items; Two slide rail assemblies, the two slide rail assemblies are respectively arranged on the lateral sides of the storage container, and are arranged on the door panel through two connecting members to drive the door panel and the storage container to move forward and backward synchronously; The two connecting members are both arranged on the rear surface of the door panel, at least one of the connecting members is formed with a front adjustment plate, and the slide rail assembly corresponding to the connecting member is formed with a rear adjustment plate located behind the front adjustment plate; The rear adjustment plate is formed with a first threaded hole running through the front and rear, and the drawer further includes a first threaded fastener adapted to the first threaded hole, and the first threaded fastener is inserted into the first threaded hole from the rear of the rear adjustment plate; When the door panel tilts forward, the first threaded fastener is operatively rotated to press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates backward around a first axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel; When the door panel tilts backward, the first threaded fastener is operated to rotate and press the front adjustment plate forward, so that the door panel rotates forward around a second axis extending laterally, thereby adjusting the door panel; Furthermore, the position of the first axis is higher than the position of the second axis, and the position of the first threaded fastener is higher than the position of the second axis and lower than the position of the first axis; The connecting piece formed with the front adjustment plate is further formed with two second threaded holes distributed up and down, and the slide rail assembly corresponding to the connecting piece is further formed with two third threaded holes distributed up and down; The two second threaded holes correspond to the two third threaded holes one by one, and the second threaded holes and the corresponding third threaded holes are transversely connected, so that the connecting member is connected to the corresponding slide rail assembly by two second threaded fasteners passing through the corresponding second threaded holes and the corresponding third threaded holes; Furthermore, the center line of the second threaded hole located at the top is the first axis, and the center line of the second threaded hole located at the bottom is the second axis; The two second threaded holes are staggered up and down; The front adjustment plate and the rear adjustment plate both extend in the transverse direction.

2. The drawer according to claim 1, wherein The connecting piece comprises: A first panel section connected to the rear surface of the door panel; a second plate segment protruding backward from the lateral outer side of the first plate segment; The front adjustment plate and the two second threaded holes are both formed on the second plate segment.

3. The drawer according to claim 2, wherein The first threaded fastener and the second threaded fastener are both screws.

4. The drawer according to claim 2, wherein The rear end of the second plate section is formed with a notch which is open on the rear side and both lateral sides; The front adjustment plate protrudes laterally outward from the front end of the notch; The rear adjustment plate corresponding to the front adjustment plate protrudes from the lateral inner side of the second plate section through the notch toward the lateral outer side.

5. The drawer according to claim 2, wherein A rearwardly protruding limit block is formed on the lateral outer side of the lower end of the first plate segment, and the limit block is formed with a bayonet opening which is open on the upper side and both lateral sides; The slide rail assembly corresponding to the first plate segment is formed with a clamping block protruding inwardly in a lateral direction, and the clamping block passes through the clamping port from the lateral outer side of the clamping port and is clamped into the clamping port.

6. The drawer according to claim 1, wherein The two connecting members are each formed with a front adjustment plate and two second threaded holes distributed up and down; The two slide rail assemblies are each formed with a rear adjustment plate and two third threaded holes distributed up and down.

7. A refrigerator, comprising: A box body, defining a first chamber therein; The drawer according to any one of claims 1 to 6 can be slidably arranged in the first chamber to open and close the storage container of the drawer.

8. The refrigerator according to claim 7, wherein The box body further defines a second chamber and a third chamber, wherein the second chamber and the third chamber are distributed in the transverse direction and are located above the first chamber.

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